Get Free Printable Sign Language Charts for Common Words

If you want to communicate with a deaf person you probably want to get free printable sign language charts for common words. These can help you to learn the language and maybe even more important: to learn it to other people. Sign language is a complete language on it's own and interesting enough, there is more than just one type of sign language.

Therefore it is hard to communicate with a deaf person, so it is a good idea to get free printable sign language charts for common words.

Sign Language: The Origin

In the old Greek times there was things said about signing already, Socrates was the first one: 'If we hadn't a voice or a tongue, and wanted to express things to one another, wouldn't we try to make signs by moving our hands, head and the rest of our body, just as dumb people do at present?'

This was one of the earliest predictions about sign language and this is exactly what happened. Of course, deaf people have a voice and they do have a tongue. And don't get me wrong, I don't see them as dumb people at all. They just cannot hear anything, so there is no reason to speak to them or to speak themself.

Years ago there were already schools for deaf people, but not to teach sign language, and this is where sign language is developed. As deaf people were put together, they started to invent a language themself, this resulted in different types of sign language all over the world, where the native language didn't matter. In Spain and in Mexico the people speak Spanish, but the deaf have a complete different language in each country! As signing was illegal in the Netherlands the northern deaf people have a different language than the southern people, like accents!

Get Free Printable Sign Language Charts for Most Common Words

Aiming to be a teacher of signing? There are tons of ways to get free printable sign language charts for most common words. Spending money can be worth it of course, but probably not necessary. So let's go for the free options!

Distinguish first of all the difference between basic words and the non-basic words. A doctor might need words like 'pain' or 'medication', while a restaurant owner will need words like 'vegetarian'.

Offline ways

If you need another language than the American Sign Language the internet won't be a very good source as most of the images on the internet are about ASL. There are other ways to get the charts though.

The deaf information center can be a good source for your sign language charts. They have them lying around anyway for workshops or course. Try to find out if they have PDF files which you can use to print the plates with sign language yourself!

Medical centers are also a place where the charts are always present. Get into contact with the people in the hospital who are about the patient care, including the deaf people. They should have files with printable sign language charts for common words lying around.

Internet

If you are looking for American Sign Language charts the internet will probably be a good place. Check out what I found with a quick Google Search:

This is a basic chart with most of the images you are going to need. Google comes up with a lot of charts full of finger spelling. To start your sign language career this can be a real good thing, as you will learn the basics first in that way.